MiraCosta College has received a grant from The Prebys Foundation to set up a project to enhance the mental health and wellness of formerly incarcerated and marginalized students through hands-on outdoor experiences.
The $116,500 grant to MiraCosta College was among the $5.2 million that The Prebys Foundation awarded 59 nonprofits across San Diego for its Healing Through the Arts and Nature initiative to offer proactive ways to enhance the quality of life in a post-pandemic world. The foundation said growing evidence shows that spending time in nature and engaging with the arts can reduce social isolation, improve mental health, and foster a stronger sense of community.
“By investing in this initiative, we are working with an exceptional array of organizations to harness San Diego’s unique natural and artistic resources on behalf of resilience and well-being,” said Grant Oliphant, CEO of The Prebys Foundation.
The grant to MiraCosta College is being used to create the Seeding Justice Empowerment Circles project, targeted for formerly incarcerated students, low-income students, foster youth, veterans, and students of color – groups often facing limited access to green spaces in their communities.
The project will offer immersive natural experiences, particularly within MiraCosta College’s Roots of Justice community garden. Students will engage with agriculture while benefiting from the mental wellness advantages of working outdoors. They will also learn about drawing connections between nature, sustainability, environmental stewardship, and personal growth.
The students will participate in two-hour peer-led empowerment circle sessions held twice each semester facilitated by student staff members from the Roots of Justice project, which combines gardening practices with mental wellness and career education.
MiraCosta College has a longstanding commitment to outdoor education. Its Horticulture Program, which enrolls about 400 students annually, hosts community events such as Future Farmers of America Field Days. The Child Development Center also incorporates nature-based learning through its Outdoor Classroom Project.
